Once he firmly grasped the spade, Kelvin turned back to face the creature.
But as he pivoted, he realized that allowing the 2-meter-tall beast to ram into him would be his demise.
He dove to the left, barely avoiding the beast's massive bulk.
A deep thud reverberated across the perimeter as the beast, in its frenzy, slammed into the wall where Kelvin had been standing just moments before.
The impact sent dust and debris cascading from the cavern ceiling, momentarily clouding his vision.
Based on his previous appraisal of the creature, attacking a limb seemed like the most effective option.
But an oversight was not an option at this critical juncture.
The beast's disorientation presented an ideal moment to counterattack, so Kelvin stilled his heart and suppressed his fear.
He could feel the cold sweat trickling down his spine, but he forced himself to focus.
Gripping the spade with both hands, his eyes scanned the creature for the best spot to strike.
Disabling a limb might help, but there was no guarantee that a single strike from his spade could incapacitate the enormous beast.
He noted the thick, matted fur that covered its limbs, the sheer bulk of muscle beneath the surface.
Would a single blow be enough?
Doubt gnawed at the edges of his mind, but he pushed it aside.
Instead, he focused on the most vulnerable and already damaged part of the creature's body he could see—a deep indentation on its skull where the platform had struck earlier.
Without wasting any more time, he charged toward the motionless beast.
As he got close, he leaped high and brought the spade down on the caved-in part of the beast's head, using the force of his descent to bolster the attack.
A loud crunch echoed through the cavern, followed by another bellow of pain from the beast, indicating to Kelvin that he had made the right decision to target the head.
But he couldn't savor the moment because of the ringing pain that rattled his brain.
The intensity of the beast's roar reverberated through his skull, a shockwave of sound that left him momentarily stunned.
Previously, he had been far enough away from the beast's cries that he hadn't considered their damaging effect.
Now, at the epicenter of its roar, the pain was unbearable, a high-pitched ringing that drowned out all other sounds.
Because of this pain, Kelvin was too slow to dodge the beast's sweeping paw.
Crossing the deformed spade across his body was all he could do to mitigate the impact.
The force of the blow sent him crashing into the cavern wall with a bone-rattling impact.
All the air was knocked out of him when his body slammed against the cavern wall.
As soon as he hit the ground, he rolled away, narrowly avoiding another slam from the creature.
His muscles screamed in protest, but he forced himself to move, to survive.
THUD!
Another thud echoed beside him, underscoring the danger he was in if he didn't distance himself from the rampaging beast.
Leaping back to his feet, Kelvin suppressed the pain coursing through his body and slammed the spade onto the beast's injured spot, which was now bleeding profusely, dark blood oozing from the wound.
This time, however, he was ready for the beast's counterattack.
Bracing himself, he successfully deflected the creature's assault with considerable effort.
He then attempted to create some distance between himself and the beast, but his back slammed into a metal barrier with a sharp clang that reverberated through the cavern.
Kelvin's eyes widened as he realized his predicament—his path was blocked by a crate of ore.
His only option was to move left, but the beast's approaching maw sealed his impending doom.
He could see the rows of jagged teeth glinting in the dim light, each one capable of tearing him apart in an instant.
Time seemed to slow as the beast's jaws, capable of snapping him in an instant, drew closer.
Yet, rather than feeling fear, Kelvin was consumed by anger and frustration—anger at the pain the creature had caused him, and frustration at the nebulous memories of someone he couldn't comprehend that plagued him.
BADUM!
Kelvin heard the sound of his beating heart before he felt an invigorating energy surging through his body, emanating from his upper torso.
It was as if a switch had been flipped, releasing a reservoir of power he hadn't known he possessed.
BOOM!
Without enough space, footing, or a proper grip on his spade, Kelvin struck at the approaching maw with all his might.
A cloud of blood sprayed as the beast was hurled seven meters into a pile of rubble and ores.
The force of the blow sent a shockwave through the cavern, scattering loose stones and debris.
Kelvin's irises gleamed with a white luster as he watched the beast for any signs of movement.
He pushed the recent surge of power to the back of his mind, fully focused on the current situation.
Whatever that power was, it could wait.
Survival was the only thing that mattered now.
Even after a while, the beast remained motionless.
But Kelvin couldn't rule out the possibility that it was still alive, so he cautiously moved toward the heap of ore, using tools as safeguards against a potential ambush.
His movements were slow, deliberate, each step a calculated risk.
As he got closer, he heard faint wheezing sounds, the ragged breaths of a creature on the brink of death.
Using what remained of his spade, he shifted some of the ores to get a better view.
The creature's entire body was buried under the pile, except for its head, which was crushed from all sides, its skull a shattered mess of bone and blood.
Kelvin was amazed by the creature's resilience, but recalling all he had endured because of it, he raised the scrap of a spade and bludgeoned the beast's head repeatedly until it was nothing but a mess of brain fluids and blood.
He didn't stop until there was no possibility of life left in the creature, his blows fueled by a mix of anger, exhaustion, and the primal need to survive.
Sensing the creature's demise, Kelvin collapsed onto the ground, indifferent to the gory, ghastly setting.
He was utterly exhausted, his body aching with the aftershocks of adrenaline.
The cavern was silent now, save for his labored breathing.
He had faced more challenging situations during his time in the elite squad, but the difference between those and this one was the unfamiliar entity he had just fought and the jumbled memories in his head.
The memories were still there, a chaotic tangle that defied understanding, but he pushed them aside for now.
Still, he knew he couldn't afford to waste any more time, even though his body screamed for rest.
Summoning the last of his strength, he stood up to leave the cavern, his movements slow and deliberate, each step a test of his willpower.
However, he caught a glimpse of something with a blue glaze emanating from the remains of the beast.
Moving closer, he reached into the mass of flesh and fluids, using his knife to dislodge the source of illumination.
The light was faint, but it cut through the darkness like a beacon.
He wiped the pearl-sized crystal on his bloodied suit to get a clearer view and studied it for a moment.
The stone was unlike anything he had ever seen, its surface smooth and flawless, its glow mesmerizing.
But he stifled his curiosity and stashed the stone inside his suit.
There would be time to examine it later, once he was safe.
"First things first," Kelvin muttered as he dragged himself toward the exit tunnel, suppressing every unnecessary thought as he trudged along.
His body ached with every step, but he pushed forward, driven by the need to survive.
But his hope of survival was abruptly shattered by the sound of a beeping metal ball that rolled to a stop at his feet.
The sound was unmistakable, a high-pitched whine that set his nerves on edge.
"Goddamn—" Kelvin began, but he didn't need to recognize the object to know its purpose.
The shape, the sound—it was all too familiar.
BANG!
Lights out...